Kingsland Bridge, Shrewsbury
This wrought iron bridge carries a toll road over the River Severn in Shrewsbury.
It is a through-arch bridge of 212 ft span. Is it a bowstring bridge? A bowstring bridge uses the deck as a tension member to resist the thrust of the arch. In this bridge the thrust is clearly by the abutment skewbacks, while Fig 7 shows that the deck is riveted to the arch members, presumably transmitting some thrust to the deck.
The deck's longitudinal members are of deep channel section, fabricated from riveted angle iron and plates. Below the arch, the deck is suspended, while closer to the abutments it is supported from the arch by struts. The parapets are of substantial construction, prpbably making an appreciable contribution to deck stiffness.
The arch members are of fabricated I-section. Unusually, the web plates project above and below the flanges, perhaps to make the arch members look more slender (Fig. 3).
Constructed by the Cleveland Bridge and Engineering Co. The maker's nameplate has the date 1881, but the bridge was not opened until summer 1892.
Engineer: Henry Robertson.